EC follows electoral rules regarding to include Badal’s name in list

DHAKA – The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) chief election commissioner Mezbah Uddin Ahmed today said they have included the name of Badal Roy in the final candidate list because the election commission only followed the electoral rules of BFF.

“We have published the final candidate list of the BFF election today in time… you know we have received two applications till Saturday (5 pm) regarding the withdrawal of nomination paper for the member posts… president candidate Badal Roy first phoned me at 5.10 pm regarding his withdrawal and told me that his (Badal Roy’s) wife would deliver the withdrawal letter…… After that I instructed the BFF secretariat to receive the letter so that the election commission can take decision in this regard today,” said Mezbah at a press conference held today at the conference room of BFF ,after publishing the final candidate list.

“Today we took the decision after discussing this matter … and as per the decision we have published the final candidate list today…… The official rules for us to follow the electoral rules of BFF which is already approved in the BFF congressed and we don’t have the opportunity to deviate from it because the application was submitted after the deadline of withdrawal nomination paper … we don’t have a chance to take the top considering who said what… we just followed the rules instructed by the FIFA, concluded Mezzbah.

The inclusion of Badal’s name in the final candidate list means three candidates will contest for the president post in pen and paper however Badal withdrew himself from the electoral contest citing his physical illness. Former footballer and former national football team coach Shafiqul Islam Manik is now the main rival of BFF president Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin in the election.

Forty seven candidates will now contest in the election. Among them three for one president posts, two for one senior vice president posts, eight for four vice president posts and thirty four for fifteen member posts.

It was initially assumed the upcoming BFF election was going to be a one-sided but, now the scenario is different after forty seven candidates are going to contest October 3 polls which means that the election is spreading heat and will be held in all twenty one posts.

Seating senior vice president Abdus Salam Murshedy , who was elected uncontested in the last BFF election, this time will face a challenge as celebrated footballer Sheikh Mohammad Aslam stood in Murshedy’s way.

There are also hints in the competitive battle for the posts of senior vice president. Although there are four posts of vice president, eight candidates will now contest for the four vice president post.

New face and Bashundhara King’s president Imrul Hasan already proved himself as a successful organiser and everyone wants a successful organiser like Imrul to come forward for the development of football.

Kazi Nabil Ahmed MP, Tabith Awal, Sheikh Mohammad Maruf Hasan, Amirul Islam Babu and Mohiuddin Ahmed all are strong candidates and it’s expected a competitive battle in the posts of vice president.

Thirty four candidates will contest for fifteen executive member posts. Experienced organisers like Harunur Rashid and Shawkat Ali Khan Jahangir will contest in the member post along with popular footballers.BSS